The family of an Irish woman who died after a plastic surgery operation in New York in 2005 filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the doctor they feel is responsible for her death this week.

Kay Cregan, 42, from Croom, Co. Limerick, died after undergoing a face-lift operation performed by cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Michael Evan Sachs at his Manhattan clinic at Central Park South on March 14, 2005. Shortly after the operation Cregan suffered from heart complications in a recovery room of Sachs' clinic and died three days later on St. Patrick's Day.

Cregan, a senior employee in Limerick City Council at the time, traveled to New York for her operation after reading a double page feature in the Sunday Independent newspaper in Dublin about a woman from Carlow who attended Sachs' clinic. The article reported that the operation was a great success.

Sachs completed her operation free of charge. Family members later saw a copy of the article in Cregan's bag and asked her about it, but she brushed it off.

She told her husband Liam and their two sons Eoghan and Kevin, that she was traveling up to Dublin for St. Patrick's week. Cregan had just enlisted in a third level course in Dublin to advance her career in the council.

In a letter to Sachs Cregan wrote, "I believe when you meet me that you will think me suitable for that procedure (I am 42 years old but look 56-58 approx). I have become very self-conscious when meeting people and I am becoming more and more anti-social by the day."

It was reported in newspapers after her death that Sachs had sent Cregan a DVD consisting of soft music and a beautiful female patient who describes in detail how wonderful her life is after receiving nose reshaping plastic surgery from Sachs.

Convinced she wanted a face-lift, Cregan booked the deluxe treatment, which included an airport pick up by Sachs, the surgery and two weeks recovery in one of three Manhattan apartments. She reportedly paid $32,000.

On March 14, Cregan was anesthetized in Sachs' Central Park South office at 6 p.m. Three hours later she was taken to the recovery room after Sachs had operated on her.

At 6:30 a.m. the following morning, the Limerick woman complained of dizziness.

A nurse came to her attention as her pulse dropped rapidly. She did CPR and called 911 and she was rushed to St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital.

The hospital contacted the Irish Consulate in New York as her condition quickly deteriorated.

Her husband, John, received a call informing him of his wife's condition. He said a mistake must have been made, that his wife was in Dublin.

Cregan's sister Agnes, who lives in Boston, traveled to New York as quick as she could.

Sachs trial is set to begin on December 11. The Cregan family is being represented by medical malpractice specialist Thomas Moore, who hails from Co. Waterford.

In the lawsuit Cregan's husband blames Sachs of negligence, carelessness and gross indifference. The suit also names Dr. Madhavrao Subbarao, an anesthesiologist, and claims that both doctors failed Cregan during her operation.

Sachs, nicknamed "Dr. Botch" because of his involvement in 33 malpractice cases in a 10-year period, sold his New York townhouse to the Russian government for a reported $24 million earlier this year.

Depending on the verdict, the jury will be asked about monetary damages for the loss, with no limit.

Damages will be decided based on the loss of a wife and mother of two young children, in addition to the pain and suffering Cregan suffered before her death.